The providers are losing money doing locals in Philly with mustcarry, and without Comcast SportsNet.
Atleast if the Philly Locals were available in Central NJ particularly Ocean County, like how they are with cable, it could increase satellite penetration in that area. A customer in Toms River NJ gets both NY and Philly locals on cable, and the Philly locals are "significantly viewed" They are significantly viewed, because people watch them! Oh, and also... they are on the low channel numbers on cable and carry network programming.
Channel 6 (WPVI) is available everywhere in Ocean County NJ on Comcast and Cablevision. Local advertisers like Boscov's Department stores advertise on Channel 6 and have stores, one in Ocean and one in Monmouth expecting people on that area to have access to Ch.6 ads. Its way too expensive for Boscov's to also advertise on Channel 7 (WABC) when they have only 2 stores in Central East NJ (NY market).
I plan on writing to Channel 6, asking why the Disney company which demands SoapNet to be carried, which can charge high advertising rates on their 6ABC station telling retailers like Boscov's that viewers will see their ads, when they can't work a deal with Echostar and Directv, to allow both Channel 6 and Channel 7 both network owned to be available to all subscribers in Ocean County. I'll ask in a curteous way of course. I'm wondering if this could start to significantly viewed on satellite for the DMA border areas. If the Philly stations continue giving weather reports and thunderstorm warnings for Ocean County, I think its only fair people in Ocean County to have access to watch the Philly locals that are giving these reports.
Of course, be careful what you wish:
http://www.cjonline.com/stories/100601/bus_fcctvrule.shtml
http://enquirer.com/columns/kiese/1999/11/10/jki_butler_county_faces.html
Already broadcasters feel pinched when their viewers have access to another network affiliate, especially owned by another broadcast group.
Southern Ocean County is Grade B for Philly locals, not NY. Its Nielsen that decided, well to make it simple lets make the whole county one DMA so its NY DMA making it illegal for a customer to take Philly locals.
I know KYW 3 wants to be pretty much the only CBS available to most of Philly market and takes approach that they dont want WCBS distributed much even though CBS owns both. Back at them, KYW isnt distributed in many northern NJ homes and WTXF 29/Philadelphia (a UHF station) reaches more homes via cable than Ch.3, since Ch.3's cable coverage pretty much ends right at the end of Philly market.
NBC 10 might not want a significantly viewed, although Channel 6 might consider it. I read, Chester County was one of the richest PA (philly DMA) counties.
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/3363930.htm
In Chester County, WGAL 8 from Lancaster is carried on cable. I wonder if NBC plans on doing anything about this, as its a significant county for both broadcasters, WGAL(Hearst owned) and WCAU(NBC owned). Hearst WGAL 8/Lancaster (46th DMA) gets carried on cable there via significantly viewed. Thats less a rating share for NBC 10 in that county. I think NBC is trying to figure out what to do on their borders. There is WNBC 4 carried in Trenton, WMGM 40 in Atlantic City (carried on Ch.4 on cable), WGAL 8 all carried on lower channel numbers than Ch.10.
They are still doing OK though, as more people are watching NBC Network programs in the market now than ABC Network shows. CBS primetime is doing better, but KYW loses a lot of lead in for their news.
